Free The Cub Club by Serena Pettus Page A

rather be kicked in my nads than do this,” Adam confessed. “You typically only get kicked once, unless it’s by Sarah.”
    She promptly flipped him the bird along with a saucy little grin.
    “With this, it’s over and over and getting slowly stronger each time. I’m just glad she’ll have pain meds soon.” Adam looked up at Erik, making sure to pull his expression into one of horror and pity, before saying, “You poor bastard.” He snickered at Erik’s wide eyes.
    Another contraction came as he laughed, and Erik gave him a brotherly smack that nearly sent him sprawling.
    “Sure, hit a man when he’s down. I’ll remember this,” Adam wheezed through the pain.
    Stephanie found the whole thing very amusing. “If you can tough it out and be a good boy, I’ll get you a milkbo—” Luckily, a knock at the door cut off her insult.
    Saved by the doctor! The physician looked a bit puzzled as he eyed everyone, but it didn’t really surprise Adam. The poor man wasn’t buying the whole “sympathy pain” explanation they’d given him earlier. Not with Adam clutching Eva’s hand and his stomach at the same time and pouring sweat worse than even his wife.
    A moment later, a stocky little man with glasses came in carrying a tray with several wrapped items on it.
    “Eva, how are you feeling?” the doctor asked, checking the printout from the machine which tracked her contractions. “I see things are progressing here, but I still need to perform a quick vaginal exam to see how far you’ve dilated.”
    “Aaand, that’s our cue to leave,” Erik exclaimed, clearly uncomfortable with things. He reached to help Sarah rise from her chair and called, “We’ll come back once you’re done if that’s okay?”
    “Of course,” Eva replied.
    “Why don’t you have a seat in the waiting room for a little bit?” the doctor suggested. “If Eva has progressed enough, we’ll be starting her epidural while we’re in here.” He turned his attention back to Eva before making the introductions. “This is Simon, and he’s the anesthesiologist who will be doing the honors.”
    Adam couldn’t help but gape. Simon had lenses in his glasses that were so thick they made his eyes look enormous whenever he looked your way. He kind of reminded Adam of an owl.
    The door closing brought Adam’s attention back to the doctor and the fact that the man’s hands were currently on his wife’s—
    “ Adam, quit growling! ” Eva snapped. “You now this is necessary.”
    “Did you have to pick a male doctor?” he groused.
    “He’s the best around, unless you want someone less skilled to deliver your child?”
    Damn, she had him there. “Just be sure to make it quick.”
    The physician, who’d been ignoring him up until this point, replied, “Trust me, there is no sexual interest here. Now, if you’d like to meet my current lover, he will be stopping by to bring me dinner in a bit.”
    “He?”
    “Yes, he , so you have nothing to worry about.”
    That calmed Adam’s wolf a bit. The fact that he’d been experiencing the labor pains had put his beast in an agitated state already. Having another man touch his mate there was enough to break the already frayed leash Adam had him on.
    As soon as the exam was done, the doc informed them that Eva was far enough along to have pain meds if she chose. Eva eagerly agreed, and Stephanie helped her to sit on the side of the bed as Simon instructed, while Adam knelt before her.
    Simon busied himself behind Eva, swabbing betadine on her back. That’s when Adam caught sight of the wicked-looking needle on the tray.
    “You’re putting that in her back?” he asked, hoping he was wrong, and sorry that he’d even opened his mouth when he felt Eva tense.
    “Only for a moment. There will be a catheter that will remain in the subdural space and provide the pain meds for her,” Simon patiently explained. “Trust me, she’ll feel a lot better once this is in.”
    “Let’s do this.”